By C. G. Lynch
Decent academic standing, careful house maintenance and a clean judicial record could earn students higher lottery numbers under a tentative plan proposed by Nicole Martino, the Student Government Association’s Vice President for Student Services. SGA and the Department of Residential Life both stressed that the plans remain indefinite, requiring more research and student receptiveness. “This is really still in its designing stages,” Martino said. “The Housing Task Force Committee feels it’s something we can’t jump to and it needs to be researched.” Under the current housing lottery, ResLife assigns numbers at random, but Martino is looking into implementing a “priority point” system. While other colleges use similar programs — including Northwestern University in Chicago and Stonehill College in Easton, Mass. — Martino said Northeastern’s would be less academically based, relying more heavily on judicial reports and room conditions. “If there is a grade component at all, you would get points if you weren’t on academic probation,” she said. Martino pitched the idea at a Housing Task Force Committee meeting a couple of weeks ago. Since then, she has been researching similar programs at other colleges. “A lot of the other schools’ programs are great and we need to apply them and see what will work best for Northeastern,” she said. Marina Iannalfo, the associate dean of housing services, issued a statement calling for further inquiries by ResLife and SGA. “We are continually reviewing our procedures,” Iannalfo said. “Some of these suggestions have been discussed and we have been researching what like institutions are doing so that we can further develop best practices here at Northeastern.” Around campus, some students have embraced the idea, believing it will improve living conditions. “People who keep a nice apartment should have priority,” said Kristen Ridge, a sophomore marketing major living in West Campus B. “It would make people try harder to keep the place nice.” Kenrick Brathwaite, a sophomore business major and also a West Campus resident, agreed. “You can keep better dorm assignments and there will be more opportunities,” Brathwaite said. Other students involved with ResLife said if the plan worked, the university might save money. “It would be great because students might care about where they live,” said Lauren Lee, a Resident Assistant in Davenport B. “It would be less money for the university to pay in repairs.” Plans for a priority points system would go into effect, at the earliest, late next year. Until then, SGA and ResLife will examine all options to improve the current lottery system.
